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Named for American Rifleman's most senior field editor, and designed with his recommendations in mine, the Colt Wiley Clapp Stainless Commander .45 ACP pistol is a 1911 built for 1911 aficionados. With a wide-notched Novak drift-adjustable rear sight, a brass bead front and a 3 lbs. 3 oz. trigger, this is a true piece of, as Wiley would say, "fightin' iron". For more on this excellent 1911, check out this "Rifleman Review" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
For all new episodes of American Rifleman TV, tune into Outdoor Channel on Wednesday nights.
Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.
In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.
The cycle of operation is the mechanical sequence of events that it takes to fire one shot out of a firearm. If one of those steps fails to take place as designed, there is an interruption in the cycle of operation and the gun stops firing.
The Colt Model 1911 pistol and its derivatives are among the most iconic military handguns ever made. But in 2026, does the M1911 still hold up as a quality defensive arm?